Concrete screeding system with rotatable screed head

Abstract

A screeding system for use with a screeding machine during screeding of an uncured concrete surface includes a base unit, a support arm extending from the base unit, and an elevation frame disposed at an outer end of the support arm. The elevation frame comprises elevation actuators at opposite ends thereof. A screed head includes a support frame that is pivotally mounted at lower ends of the elevation actuators. The support frame supports an auger, a plow and a vibrating member. A pair of actuators extend and retract to rotate the support frame about an axis parallel to an auger axis. The actuators adjust the support frame and screed head between a screeding orientation and a cleaning orientation. Responsive to a user input, the actuators rotate the support frame to the cleaning orientation, whereby the support frame rotates at least 60 degrees about the axis.

1 . A screeding system for use with a screeding machine during screeding of an uncured concrete surface, said screeding system comprising:
 a base unit;   a support arm extending from said base unit;   an elevation frame disposed at an outer end of said support arm, wherein said elevation frame comprises elevation actuators at opposite ends thereof;   a screed head comprising a support frame that supports an auger, a plow and a vibrating member, and wherein said auger, when operating, rotates about an axis of rotation;   wherein said support frame is pivotally mounted at lower ends of said elevation actuators;   wherein said screed head comprises a pair of leveling actuators that extend and retract to rotate said support frame about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger;   wherein said leveling actuators are operable to adjust said support frame and said screed head between a screeding orientation and a cleaning orientation;   wherein, when in the screeding orientation, said leveling actuators extend and retract within an operating range to level said plow and said vibrating member by rotating said support frame about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger; and   wherein, responsive to actuation of a user input, said leveling actuators extend beyond the operating range to rotate said support frame to the cleaning orientation, and wherein said support frame rotates at least sixty degrees about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger when rotated to the cleaning orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The screeding system of  claim 1 , wherein said elevation actuators extend and retract to lower and raise said screed head relative to said elevation frame. 
     
     
         3 . The screeding system of  claim 1 , wherein said support frame rotates at least ninety degrees about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger when rotated to the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The screeding system of  claim 1 , comprising a control that determines when there is sufficient clearance to allow for rotation of said screed head to the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The screeding system of  claim 4 , wherein, responsive to actuation of said user input to rotate said screed head to the cleaning orientation, said control determines if there is enough clearance between said elevation frame and said vibrating member for such rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The screeding system of  claim 5 , wherein, responsive to determination that there is sufficient clearance and said screed head is sufficiently lowered below said elevation frame, said control extends said leveling actuators to rotate said screed head to the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The screeding system of  claim 5 , wherein, responsive to determination that there is insufficient clearance between the elevation frame and said vibrating member, said control generates an alert to warn the operator of a potential impact of said vibrating member with said elevation frame. 
     
     
         8 . The screeding system of  claim 5 , wherein, responsive to determination that there is insufficient clearance between the elevation frame and said vibrating member, said control prevents rotation of said screed head toward the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         9 . The screeding system of  claim 5 , wherein, when the screed head is in the cleaning orientation, said control limits or precludes raising said screed head toward said elevation frame. 
     
     
         10 . The screeding system of  claim 1 , wherein said base unit comprises a wheeled unit and wherein said screed head assembly is movable relative to said wheeled unit via extension and retraction of said support arm. 
     
     
         11 . A screeding system for use with a screeding machine during screeding of an uncured concrete surface, said screeding system comprising:
 a base unit;   a support arm extending from said base unit;   an elevation frame disposed at an outer end of said support arm, wherein said elevation frame comprises elevation actuators at opposite ends thereof;   a screed head comprising a support frame that supports an auger, a plow and a vibrating member, and wherein said auger, when operating during a screeding operation, rotates about an axis of rotation;   wherein said support frame is pivotally mounted at lower ends of said elevation actuators;   wherein said elevation actuators extend and retract responsive to laser receivers to independently vertically adjust a respective end of said screed head during the screeding operation;   wherein said screed head comprises leveling actuators each attached at a first end to a bracket at a lower end region of a respective one of said elevation actuators and attached at a second end to said support frame;   wherein said brackets are fixedly attached at the lower end region of the respective elevation cylinders and wherein said brackets extend away from said elevation cylinders such that the first ends of said leveling cylinders are spaced from said elevation cylinders;   wherein said leveling actuators extend and retract to rotate said support frame about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger and relative to said brackets and said elevation actuators and said elevation frame;   wherein said leveling actuators are extendable and retractable to adjust said support frame and said screed head between a screeding orientation and a cleaning orientation;   wherein, when in the screeding orientation, said leveling actuators extend and retract within an operating range to level said plow and said vibrating member by rotating said support frame about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger; and   wherein, responsive to actuation of a user input, said leveling actuators extend beyond the operating range to rotate said support frame toward the cleaning orientation, and wherein said support frame rotates at least sixty degrees about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger when rotated to the cleaning orientation.   
     
     
         12 . The screeding system of  claim 11 , wherein said support frame includes an arcuate inner surface that curves partially around said auger to provide for enhanced cleaning of said auger when said screed head is in the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         13 . The screeding system of  claim 11 , wherein said support frame rotates at least ninety degrees about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger when rotated to the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The screeding system of  claim 11 , comprising a control that determines when there is sufficient clearance to allow for rotation of said screed head to the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         15 . The screeding system of  claim 14 , wherein, responsive to actuation of said user input to rotate said screed head to the cleaning orientation, said control determines if there is sufficient clearance between said elevation frame and said support frame for such rotation. 
     
     
         16 . The screeding system of  claim 15 , wherein, responsive to determination that there is sufficient clearance between said elevation frame and said support frame and said screed head is sufficiently lowered below said elevation frame, said control extends said leveling actuators to rotate said screed head to the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         17 . The screeding system of  claim 15 , wherein, responsive to determination that there is insufficient clearance between the elevation frame and said support frame, said control generates an alert to warn the operator of a potential impact of said support frame with said elevation frame. 
     
     
         18 . The screeding system of  claim 15 , wherein, responsive to determination that there is insufficient clearance between the elevation frame and said support frame, said control prevents rotation of said screed head toward the cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         19 . The screeding system of  claim 15 , wherein, when the screed head is in the cleaning orientation, said control limits or precludes raising said screed head toward said elevation frame. 
     
     
         20 . The screeding system of  claim 11 , wherein said base unit comprises a wheeled unit and wherein said screed head assembly is movable relative to said wheeled unit via extension and retraction of said support arm. 
     
     
         21 . The screeding system of  claim 11 , wherein, when in the screeding orientation, said leveling actuators extend and retract within the operating range by rotating said support frame about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said auger within an angle of rotation of less than 20 degrees about the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the auger.